In June of last year, wildfires in Quebec caused a surge in dermatology visits in Boston due to higher-than-normal air pollution. Dermatologist Shadi Kourosh investigated the correlation between air pollution levels and skin conditions like eczema. Her team found a significant increase in visits for atopic dermatitis during periods of elevated air pollution. Similar links between air pollution and skin conditions have been found in other studies. Airborne pollutants can irritate and inflame the skin, leading to flare-ups of conditions like eczema. While air pollution is often associated with respiratory issues, its impact on skin health is substantial, affecting millions worldwide. To protect against pollution-related skin problems, experts recommend staying indoors during high-pollution events, wearing protective clothing, using air filters at home, and maintaining a good skincare routine. However, addressing the root cause of air pollution requires comprehensive government action to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change. This is a summarization of an article from WIRED. To read the full article, visit: https://www.wired.com/story/air-pollution-is-ruining-your-skin/
TELLUS’ Kerry Kelley in University of Utah project that aims to protect kids from bad air
SOURCE: https://kslnewsradio.com/2070022/university-of-utah-project-aims-to-protect-kids-from-bad-air/ BY ALLESSANDRA HARRIS KSLNewsRadio SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is no stranger to bad air quality, leading to health concerns regarding kids and student-athletes. One University of Utah professor hopes to help parents and school officials make educated decisions on whether to send students outside. Kerry Kelly with the University of Utah’s College of Engineering came up with Project CREATE AQI. The plan is to install low-cost air quality monitoring equipment throughout the state. They would be placed both indoors and outdoors, specifically tracking larger air pollution particles like dust. The monitors provide more localized data, helping schools and parents know whether it’s safe for kids to be outside. Local dataIn an article published by the U, Kelly said, “There are a lot of lungs out there. We’re trying to help people make good decisions. If I can’t really see across the field, should I not be holding this event? Is it fog? Is it particle pollution? What’s going on?” By installing monitors at athletic fields, air quality and dust levels will be measured at the local level. The monitors will specifically look for levels of dust, also known as PM 10. The plan is to install up to 50 monitors on various athletic fields across Utah to provide localized data on air conditions and larger particle pollution. Kelly says this will help researchers better understand Utah’s dust problem and how local communities can protect themselves. Additionally, the systems are cheaper to build. According to the University of Utah, the devices cost $1,000 to $1,500 each to deploy and connect to the cloud. In contrast, the price tag to equip a regulatory-grade station is $40,000. The project is launching with help of a million-dollar grant from the National Science Foundation. Amie Schaeffer contributed to this report.
Why We’re Still Breathing Dirty Indoor Air
The pandemic and recent wildfires have shown how unhealthy indoor air can be. But scientific and governmental inertia have slowed the necessary remedies. By Apoorva Mandavilli | NY Times Published Nov. 20, 2023 Updated Dec. 11, 2023 In early 2020, the world scrubbed down surfaces, washed hands and sneezed into elbows, desperate to avoid infection with a new coronavirus. But the threat was not really lying on countertops and doorknobs. The virus was wafting through the air , set adrift in coughs and conversation, even in song. The pandemic raged for six months before global health authorities acknowledged that it was driven by an airborne pathogen. With that revelation came another: Had indoor air quality ever been a priority, the pandemic would have exacted a far lighter toll in the United States. More than three years later , little has changed. Most Americans are still squeezing into offices, classrooms, restaurants and shops with inadequate, often decrepit ventilation systems, often in buildings with windows sealed shut. Scientists agree that the next pandemic will almost certainly arise from another airborne virus. But improving air quality isn’t just about fighting infectious diseases: Indoor pollution can damage the heart, lungs and brain, shortening life spans and lowering cognition. And wildfires, outdoor air pollution and climate change will quickly preclude Band-Aid solutions, like simply opening windows or pumping in more air from outside. Instead, the nation will have to begin to think about the indoor air — in schools, restaurants, offices, trains, airports, movie theaters — as an environment that greatly influences human health. Improving it will require money, scientific guidance on how clean the air needs to be and, most crucially, political will to compel change. “The push for clean water is considered one of the 10 biggest public health advances of the last century, and air should be no different,” said Linsey Marr , an expert in airborne transmission of viruses at Virginia Tech. Federal and state laws govern the quality of water , food and outdoor pollution, but there are no regulations for indoor air quality overall, only scattershot limits on a few pollutants. Nor does any single federal agency or official champion the cause.
Technological Innovations in Mitigating Dust Emissions
Source: Oizom Dust emissions are a silent yet pervasive environmental hazard, often overlooked in discussions about air pollution. These emissions are a byproduct of industrial activities and a consequence of natural and urban processes. Today, we will explore the gravity of this issue and how technological interventions are beneficial and necessary to mitigate the impacts of dust emissions. The Nature of Dust Emissions Dust emissions comprise fine particulate matter released into the atmosphere from various sources. These sources range from natural phenomena like wind erosion to human activities such as construction, mining, and agriculture. Urban areas contribute significantly through vehicle traffic and industrial processes. These particles, often microscopic, pose serious health risks. When inhaled, they can penetrate the lungs and even enter the bloodstream, causing respiratory, cardiovascular, and other health concerns. Moreover, dust emissions contribute to poor air quality, reducing visibility and impacting ecosystems. Current Technologies in Dust Control Mechanical Solutions Mechanical solutions like dust suppression systems involve the use of physical barriers, filters, and vacuum systems to capture or redirect dust particles. These systems are often used in industrial settings, construction sites, and areas with heavy machinery. While effective in containing dust at the source, they require significant investment and regular maintenance. Oizom’s innovative technology provides an automated solution for dust suppression, streamlining the process significantly. By setting a predetermined threshold for dust levels, the system autonomously activates the suppression mechanisms when this limit is exceeded. This feature eliminates the need for constant monitoring and manual intervention, ensuring efficient and timely dust control. Such automation is particularly useful in environments where dust accumulation can be rapid and unpredictable, as it maintains optimal conditions without the need for continuous human oversight. Chemical Solutions Chemical suppressants, including foam agents and other binding compounds, create a cohesive layer over dust-prone surfaces. These chemicals can effectively prevent dust from becoming airborne, but their environmental impact, potential toxicity, and residual effects often raise concerns. Water-Based Solutions Water sprays and misting systems are among the most commonly used methods for dust control. They work by wetting the dust particles, making them too heavy to be carried by the wind. This method is effective and environmentally friendly but can be resource-intensive and less feasible in water-scarce regions. Importance of Monitoring Air Oizom’s contribution to dust control is primarily through advanced air quality monitoring. Their systems utilize high-precision sensors and sophisticated data analytics to track and analyze dust levels in real time. This information is crucial in understanding the extent of dust pollution and in devising targeted control strategies. Oizom’s products, with their IoT and AI integration, allow for a more dynamic response to dust control, adapting to changing environmental conditions and ensuring more efficient and effective dust management. Emerging and Innovative Technologies Smart Dust Control Systems Smart dust control systems represent the convergence of IoT, AI, and dust control technology. These systems can predict when and where dust emissions are likely to occur and automatically adjust suppression methods accordingly. This predictive approach is far more efficient than traditional reactive methods. Nanotechnology Nanotechnology in dust control involves using nanoparticles to either capture dust particles or change the surface properties of areas prone to dust emission. These technologies promise minimal environmental impact and high efficiency but are still in development. Biological Solutions Biological solutions, including bioengineering methods and natural dust-binding agents, offer an eco-friendly alternative to chemical suppressants. These methods use biological materials or processes to control dust, potentially reducing the ecological footprint significantly. Renewable Energy-Powered Solutions Solar or wind-powered dust control systems represent a sustainable approach to dust management. These systems harness renewable energy to operate dust control equipment, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and decreasing the carbon footprint of dust control activities. Assessing Emerging Technologies The potential of these emerging technologies is vast. They promise not just to mitigate dust emissions but to do so in a way that is sustainable, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible. However, the scalability and practical application of these technologies in various settings remain areas for further exploration and development. Conclusion Mitigating dust emissions is complex, requiring a multifaceted approach that combines traditional methods with innovative technologies. The role of technology, especially in monitoring and smart control systems, is indispensable in this fight. Oizom’s pioneering air monitoring solutions exemplify this approach, offering a way not just to combat dust emissions but also to understand and manage them more effectively. In embracing these technologies, we take a crucial step towards ensuring better air quality and public health. It’s an investment in our environment and our future. Published by Oizom7,287 followersLearn about the latest dust control technology advancements shaping a healthier, more sustainable world. Explore innovative solutions ranging from smart monitoring systems to eco-friendly methods in our detailed guide on tackling air pollution effectively.
TELLUS Founder Kerry Kelly on Fox-13
All content from Fox-13: https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/whats-being-done-to-rid-utah-of-inversion-pollution “I think one thing you’ll probably hear people say about air quality is there’s really not any one single like, silver bullet that’s easy to do right now because we’ve done a lot of the easy things,” said Dr. Kerry Kelly, an associate professor chemical engineering at the University of Utah. The fight against inversion is a never-ending battle, but Kelly says the state has made some important moves over the years to help, especially when it comes to the main factor of emissions: transportation. Experts say Utahns need to constantly be looking for cleaner and more efficient furnaces, water heaters, and other more efficient systems. “It comes to just making sure that we are keeping up with like the latest technologies,” said Kelly. “The latest ways to reduce our mission and being efficient as our population continues to grow.”
Utah researchers put airborne viral transmission risks under the microscope
Source: https://attheu.utah.edu/science-technology/utah-researchers-put-airborne-viral-transmission-risks-under-the-microscope/ New study takes a closer look at the viability of flu and coronavirus after aerosol-producing events in hospitals. EVAN LERNER – COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING As the COVID pandemic began to unfold in late 2019, researchers around the world scrambled to learn as much as possible about the novel virus responsible for the disease. Until more was known about how this microorganism jumped from person to person, the only surefire mitigation strategy involved strict lockdowns and quarantines. And even as more of the picture came into focus, healthcare experts, policymakers and the general public clashed over the remaining uncertainty. While a better understanding of the coronavirus has enabled most of public life to return to pre-lockdown routines, one critical setting still struggles with this uncertainty: hospitals. Working with or around infected patients means that coming into contact with virus-laden aerosols is unavoidable, but the riskiness of any given interaction is difficult to assess. Now, researchers at the University of Utah are conducting a study that aims to quantify these risks in a more fundamental way than ever before. Rather than relying on intuition or guesswork, hospitals will have real data on how infectious viruses remain after common aerosol-generating procedures, from performing CPR to changing a patient’s bedsheets. The study is led by Kerry Kelly, associate professor of chemical engineering in the University of Utah’s John and Marcia Price College of Engineering. She is collaborating with researchers at the U’s Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, including Darrah Sleeth, associate professor in the Division of Occupational & Environmental Health and at the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Catherine Loc-Carrillo, adjunct assistant professor in the Division of Epidemiology, and Kristi Warren, research assistant professor in the Division of Pulmonary Medicine, as well as Rachael Jones at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.When working with patients known to have a contagious disease, healthcare providers and other hospital workers follow a litany of procedures to protect themselves, as well as other patients, from infection. These procedures are tailored to the organism in question and the risk entailed by the specific interactions the patient requires.Coronavirus presents a particular challenge for infection control given how quickly and easily it spreads. With viruses hitching a ride on the moisture of every exhale, even the most basic interactions with infected patients could be considered high risk.Previous attempts to quantify this exposure risk have measured how much viral genetic material aerosols contain, but this data is limited when it comes to a key element: just because viral DNA or RNA is present in the sample does not mean that it was part of a functioning virus when it was captured.“When you pull air through a solid filter, you can catch virus-carrying aerosols, but then they quickly dry out and die,” Kelly said. “By capturing them in a liquid, we’ll be able to tell whether the aerosols emitted by these procedures contained enough viable virus to actually cause an infection.”Kelly has been working with this technology as part of her research on particulate-based air pollution. When the pandemic hit and the risk of various activities became a fiercely debated topic, she immediately began brainstorming how to apply her expertise to the problem.“There are many activities that take place in a hospital that could be considered ‘aerosol-generating procedures,’” Sleeth said. “Although it seems obvious that some are riskier than others, there still isn’t a good way of comparing them. That means decisions are currently being made with incomplete information, and that can have real consequences for both patients and healthcare workers.Supported by a 3-year $2.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, the Utah and UCLA researchers will collect aerosol samples from real hospital interactions with both influenza and COVID patients. The potential aerosol-generating procedures studied will include medical procedures with obvious risks of encountering aerosols, such as intubating a patient or measuring their pulmonary strength, as well as everyday interactions, such as changing bed linens.Once the samples are captured, the researchers will associate particle sizes with viral load and virus viability, with a long-term goal of developing appropriate protective measures. Correlating an aerosol’s diameter to its likelihood of containing functional viruses, for example, could directly inform infection control procedures, such as what kinds of personal protective equipment are necessary for a procedure.“The best ways to protect healthcare personnel from infectious aerosols remains quite controversial among some stakeholders, but it is critical to the health of workers and patients that we build an evidence base that enables robust decision making,” Jones said.
Protecting kids from Utah’s worsening dust pollution
Source: https://attheu.utah.edu/science-technology/protecting-kids-from-utahs-worsening-dust-pollution/ With federal funding, professor Kerry Kelly will deploy PM10 monitors at 50 schools to produce highly localized forecasts. BRIAN MAFFLY – RESEARCH COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST Nearly every day in every corner of Utah, young athletes train or compete in the outdoors, breathing in air that may be, at times, laden with fine particulate matter, dust, ozone, smoke, exhaust and other pollutants. It’s past time school and health officials got a handle on the exposure kids face when engaged in outdoor activities that are supposed to be healthy, according to Kerry Kelly of University’s College of Engineering. And she has a plan. With the help of a million-dollar grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), it’s about to be implemented in collaboration with various agencies. The idea is to install low-cost air quality monitoring equipment targeting specific pollutants all over the state, both inside and outdoors, to help schools, athletic associations and local health districts make data-informed decisions. “I’m trying to cobble together funding to get 50 outdoor monitors. Ideally, we will eventually go for every athletic field in the state. We’re starting with high schools,” Kelly said. “There are a lot of lungs out there. We’re trying to help people make good decisions. If I can’t really see across the field, should I not be holding this event? Is it fog? Is it particle pollution? What’s going on?” Utah’s state monitoring network is made up of expensive regulatory equipment, which limits the number of monitors that can be deployed to just 12 mostly urban counties. That leaves 17 rural counties in the dark. While the state monitoring stations closely track fine particulate, or PM2.5, only a few stations look at large particulate, better known as dust, or PM10, particles up to 10 microns in diameter. Kelly’s project, called Community Resilience through Engaging, Actionable, Timely, high-rEsolution Air Quality Information, or CREATE-AQI, is funded through NSF’s Civic Innovation Challenge program. Participating are several agencies, including the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, the Utah Athletic Trainers’ Association, the Utah High School Activities Association, the Utah Division of Air Quality and the Utah State Board of Education. “Being able to collaborate with the university and for them to be able to provide that research, we can then provide the health education and the health messaging, and also the connection with community partners and stakeholders to actually do something to help Utahans protect their health from hazardous pollutants in the air,” said Alejandra Maldonado, a toxicologist with the Department of Health and Human Services. With its mountain ranges and valleys, Utah’s “complex” terrain makes air-quality forecasting a highly localized matter, hence the need for a far-flung network of monitors. “Air quality in one valley can be very different from air quality in another valley or up high,” Kelly said. “People don’t quite understand dust that well. We know there are hotspots that produce dust on the lake, but where’s that going? We have very few regulatory PM10 monitors right now.” Kelly’s interdisciplinary team includes Heather Holmes and Pierre-Emmanuel Gaillardon of the College of Engineering; Ross Whitaker, professor in the Kahlert School of Computing; Derek Mallia, research assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences; and Sara Yeo, associate professor in the Department of Communication. Airborne dust, rising from dried lakebeds, gravel operations, construction activities and feedlots, is becoming a growing air quality challenge in Utah, according to Kelly, a professor of chemical engineering who served for eight years on the Utah Air Quality Board. Unless Great Salt Lake’s water levels rebound, its exposed lakebed is expected to become a major source of dust pollution for Salt Lake City. Yet the Utah Department of Environmental Quality does not post PM10 levels as it does in real time with other harmful pollutants, such as ozone, PM2.5 and nitrogen oxides, which are measured at its monitoring stations. Meanwhile blowing dust threatens public health and roadway safety, as painfully demonstrated two years ago after a 22-car pileup on Interstate 15 left eight dead in Utah’s Millard County. To better understand Utah’s dust problem, Kelly’s team plans to install up to 50 monitors on athletic fields around the state. There are three technological legs supporting the project. One is improved forecasting, making the forecasts automated, taking the people out of it so you can expand the forecast to the entire state of Utah. Then there’s the sensing leg, taking low-cost air quality measurements. The outdoor devices, which record both PM2.5 and 10, cost $1,000 to $1,500 each to deploy and connect to the cloud, versus the $40,000 its costs to equip a regulatory-grade station. The third leg is integrating the measurements with other data sources to produce the forecasts in easy-to-understand formats using visualization and maps. Kelly’s lab acquires the monitoring equipment off the shelf and evaluates low-cost devices for use in the project. Devices that pass muster will be carefully calibrated to ensure accuracy and deployed into the field with a cellular hookup so they can transmit their measurements to a cloud database. With sensors deployed at dozens of athletic fields and schools, CREATE-AQI’s system will integrate existing meteorological, dust, wildfire smoke and air-quality forecasting models to automatically generate high spatial resolution air quality forecasts. “Our long-term vision is you could put these out and warn people that there’s a problem and before tragedy happens. The goal is to put out sensors that are capable of measuring both PM2.5 and PM10, or dust. And to do that cost effectively to get a better understanding of where dust from the Great Salt Lake is hitting and affecting people.,” Kelly said. “And also on a local level like gravel operations and other types of things that might be affecting community members. And the nice thing about dust is that it’s more local and there are things that you can do to address it.”
Protecting Kids From Air Pollution – U of U Researchers Have Million-Dollar Idea
SOURCE: https://www.price.utah.edu/2023/09/26/university-of-utah-researchers-have-a-million-dollar-idea-to-protect-kids-from-air-pollution Utah’s striking summer sunsets, with their fiery oranges and reds, can easily take the breath away. Unfortunately, their cause — wildfire smoke and windblown dust events — make that reaction not so much a figure of speech but a dangerous reality. Over 40% of Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of outdoor air pollution. Utah’s combination of complex terrain, smog, inversions, proximity to western wildfires, and desert dust makes it a hotspot for poor air quality, and in turn difficult to accurately assess and address. The bad air’s health hazards are quite clear however, especially in children and student athletes. A University of Utah team, led by Kerry Kelly, associate professor of chemical engineering in the U’s John and Marcia Price College of Engineering, has been researching and developing ways to mitigate and monitor Utah’s air quality on a neighborhood level. Now, after winning the million-dollar stage 2 National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Civic Innovation Challenge they’re set to implement a new tool to help the state cope with air pollution. Kerry’s collaborators at the U include Heather Holmes, associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, Ross Whitaker, professor in the Kahlert School of Computing, Derek Malia, research assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science, and Sara Yeo, associate professor in the Department of Communications. Given the civic nature of the project, the team has also engaged a number of governmental and community partners, including Jesse Joseph, Asthma Program Coordinator, Alejandra Maldonado, Health Hazards Assessment Team Manager, and Nichole Shepard, Asthma & Healthy Aging Program Manager, in Utah’s Department of Health and Human Services; Lisa Walker, Licensed Athletic Trainer, Springville High School; Brenan Jackson, assistant director of the Utah High School Activities Association; and Nancy Daher, an air quality scientist at the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. The Civic Innovation Challenge is a national competition that seeks to make significant impacts on communities’ natural disaster resilience via community-university partnerships. Kelly’s team, “Community Resilience through Engaging, Actionable, Timely, high-rEsolution Air Quality Information” (CREATE-AQI) was one of 50 groups to receive a $50,000 planning grant in stage one. They now are among the 20 groups receiving the full million-dollar award. Their plan leverages the group’s extensive experience in air quality sensors and data analysis to expand the capabilities and reach of the University of Utah’s air quality sensing infrastructure. Improving on Utah’s current forecasting framework, the project will add dust detection and become much more automated. With cost effective sensors deployed at athletic fields and schools, CREATE-AQI’s system will integrate existing meteorological, dust, wildfire smoke, and air-quality forecasting models to automatically generate high spatial resolution air quality forecasts. This will give decision makers, such as preK-12 administrators and the Utah High School Activities Association, real time, local data that could prevent children’s exposure to hazardous levels of particle pollution. The grant money will also go towards understanding the most effective way to craft and deliver actionable, science-based messages about potential air quality hazards.
Air Quality Series: Exploring the Next Generation of Air Quality Sensors
September 5th, 2023 Article Source: US Ignite The US Ignite Air Quality Working Group meets monthly to discuss what they are learning. The last blog post shared ideas for using the information obtained through air quality monitoring. In addition, the working group’s feedback has also helped companies create a second generation of air quality sensors that are more modular, easier to deploy, offer a cellular communication option, and report the broader range of readings required by climate-change-induced wildfires. The new generation of sensors can read greater pollution ranges, run on batteries, be placed almost anywhere (thanks to wireless communication over 5G, NBIoT, LoRaWAN, community WiFi, etc.), and be affordable. With a modular approach, communities can overcome the barriers to entry by deploying arrays of sensors on a limited budget. This allows them to add sensing capabilities such as ozone and NOx (oxides of nitrogen) at any time in the future, as funding becomes available or project requirements change. Key Recommendations The advancements in sensors empower communities to make data-driven decisions and take proactive steps to reduce their exposure to pollution events. Companies like TELLUS are simplifying the delivery of air quality data to communities through visualizations, pollution event animations, and heat-mapped models, making it easy for anyone to interpret the severity of poor air quality events. The Air Quality Working Group recommends that communities implementing localized maps of air pollution should: Review the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for applicability. Pay attention to the EPA “big 2” – PM2.5 and Ozone (O3) – particularly relevant for urban areas. Consider the elevation. Understand that PM2.5 particles tend to collect in lower elevation regions, and communities with significant variations in elevation may require a higher number of sensors to capture a comprehensive and accurate picture of the air quality. Measure air quality around transportation corridors. These measurements can help build responses to transportation-produced pollution such as NO2, SO2, and SOX in addition to PM2.5. Measure allergens such as pollen (often sensed as PM10) in addition to PM2.5 in residential areas; the type of allergen may also make a difference. Some specific pollen sensors use cameras and image recognition to look at pollen captured on sticky tape to determine specific pollen sources. Deploy appropriate measures. If the area is subject to dust storms, PM10 will give a more accurate indication of dust than PM2.5 sensors. Consider how the air quality sensors will be powered and communicate. Is there public WiFi? Can they be hard-wired together with public safety devices? Is there a local LoRaWAN network with range and capacity? Cellular is usually the most effective and has the most universal reach, but it is the costliest. Think about sensor maintenance. Pollen sensors, especially those identifying the pollen type, have short lives and need parts replaced periodically. Sensors for highly reactive gasses also have limited lifetimes and may require frequent replacements. The higher the level of the polluting chemical, the faster the sensor will age. Consider modularly replaceable sensors for permanent installations. Use indoor sensors for comparisons. Indoor pollution is often worse than outdoor pollution. Consider indoor measurements in public areas (e.g., schools and libraries) and compare them against outdoor sensors outside of the same building. Be aware of the movement of pollutants. The wind moves pollution. The Weather Underground and other groups will give you access to citizen-operated weather stations in your community (or install some of your own). The local pollution microclimate and warnings require an understanding of the dynamics of pollution migration. Measure immediately downwind from construction efforts and consider making construction permits dependent upon installing city-monitored air quality stations at the construction perimeter. Connect with others. Connect with air quality professionals (usually within a state or local office of Environmental Quality) who may have specific requests and will usually be involved in formulating any additional measurement or mitigation measures. Also, look for ways to connect with others working on air quality monitoring. You can reach out to communities@us-ignite.org to learn more about and join our Air Quality Working Group. View of the Washington Monument peering through the haze, as seen from 16th Street leading toward the White House. Photo by Erin Hill. Let’s Talk Funding Next The exciting new technologies for sensing, communication, and analysis, combined with a growing public concern about air quality, offer smart and connected communities a compelling opportunity to take ownership of this critical problem and find solutions. In the next blog post, we will provide information on how to find the funding to support a community-based air quality monitoring project.